The invention relates to an automatically controlled washing machine, having a detergent dispensing unit disposed in the upper machine space, comprising a drawer accessible from the front having at least one chamber for a hand-metered addition of a detergent or liquid detergent portion, with at least one storage unit for liquid or gel-like washing aids, and a unit each for the automatic metering of each of the stored washing aids being disposed in the upper machine space.
Such a washing machine is known from DE 32 34 058 A1. The discharge line of the storage unit provided with a metering unit ends in a premixing chamber, which is integrated into a circulating line in the lower machine space, in which, when the washing drum is moved, liquid detergent is continuously transported from a lower tub outlet to a slightly higher opening of the tub. Irrespective of this meterable washing aid, manually-metered liquid detergent can be supplied to the laundry treatment process in the known way from a detergent dispensing unit which is likewise accommodated in the upper machine space.
In another known washing machine (DE 34 03 622 A1), a storage space for liquid washing aids is arranged in the pull direction of a drawer behind widely-known detergent chambers, which open upwards to be filled with individual doses of washing powder or liquid detergent and can be flushed from above by means of water jets, said storage space having to be filled again after depletion of said supply. To this end, a filling opening is provided in the cover region of the storage space. With each movement of the detergent drawer into a position for filling the chambers, a certain dose of the stored washing aid is carried from the storage space into a metering chamber by means of a mechanism attached to a drawer and its housing, from which metering chamber it can be transported into the tub of the washing machine during a subsequent washing program by means of water.
In a further known washing machine (DE 100 29 505 A1), irrespective of the detergent dispensing unit integrated on the other side, the upper machine space contains a storage container with a metering pump, which, in each instance after measuring the detergent concentration in the liquid detergent, routes the metered quantity of liquid detergent directly into the tub. At the start of the washing process, provision is made here for approximately 50% of the necessary detergent quantity as powder or liquid from the detergent dispensing unit to be filled together with the inflow water into the tub, preferably according to the above-mentioned measurement, at least a second quantity of detergent is supplied from the storage container.
A washing machine is also known (DE 25 54 592 C1), in which, instead of a conventional detergent dispensing unit in the upper machine space, a series of storage containers are kept for individual components of detergent, from which the control of the washing machine automatically measures the detergent components needed in each instance for the current washing process and supplies them to the washing process at suitable points in time.
Such supplies of detergent or the components thereof and the automatic measurement and supply thereof mean a considerable labor saving for a customer in respect of replenishing washing aids. In some known washing machines, the filling opening for refilling the washing aid is arranged at less accessible points on the washing machine, e.g. directly above the storage space, as a result of which the refilling occasionally required is arduous, since the filling opening of the storage space, if it cannot be closed off, should not be just any size, because of the risk of the washing aid spilling our when moving the drawer. In other known washing machines, an exchange of containers is required, without particular attention being paid to leakages of detergent residues.